Keep the Queu Orderly, Lass

Muddling through to your grave in Britain's National Health Service:

A Woman who was told that she had just six months to live has been forced to spend the past four months battling to get funding for the only treatment that could save her. Helena Simpson, from Backwell, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer at the beginning of May.

Due to the severity of her illness she has not been able to receive either radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Her only hope of survival is treatment with a drug called Tarceva (Erlotinib) which can destroy some types of cancer cells. But exceptional funding is needed from North Somerset Primary Care Trust (PCT) for the drug.

....She has already been turned down for the drug twice and says delays in setting a date to appeal the decision could cost her her life.

...."They have taken away the best part of four months of the six months they said I had left. It feels so unjust."

....In a letter from Dr Max Kammerling, the director of public health and health improvement at the PCT, Lena was told: "We are aware of some weaknesses in our administration procedures for requests such as yours and we are working to improve them. I do apologise for the distress and confusion caused by this and I can assure you that are moving to address your concerns as quickly as possible."